BYRNE GETS REWARD WITH WALES SQUAD CALL-UP

Byrne is the only uncapped player preparing to tackle New Zealand, Fiji, South Africa and Australia next month. The 25-year-old has been outstanding for the Scarlets in Celtic League, Powergen Cup and Heineken Cup this season and has been rewarded with his first inclusion in the national squad.

He could be joined tonight by Worcester Warriors prop Chris Horsman. The 27-year-old tight head, who recently completed his three year residency qualification to represent Wales, is appearing before an RFU disciplinary panel to hear a citing complaint regarding an alleged stamping incident in a Guinness Premiership game against Leeds Tykes.

Ruddock has left a place open in his party for a tight-head prop. If Horsman is unable to take up that place, then Saracens front row man Ben Broster, who was capped on the summer tour to North America, will take the 31st place.

"Lee Byrne has hit the headlines in recent weeks with a string of outstanding performances for the Scarlets to fully justify his selection," said Ruddock. "Lee is a hugely exciting footballer who has the pace and size to break through opposition defences. He has a fantastic left foot, can play in more than one position and has been given the nod over Rhys Williams because of his rich vein of form.

"The door is not closed on Rhys, nor anyone else who performs well in forthcoming games, and we will add to the squad as and when necessary. The same goes for any players who are currently out of contention through injury but who may recover and find form."

Toulouse ace Gareth Thomas, who is the leading try scorer in French rugby this season, has been reinstated as captain while Michael Owen is named as vice-captain. Thomas, who stepped in to take over from the injured Brian O'Driscoll as captain of the Lions in the summer, missed the last two matches of last season's Grand Slam campaign after breaking his thumb. Michael Owen took over the captaincy duties for the games against Scotland and Ireland, while Mark Taylor skippered the side against the USA and Canada on the summer tour.

"Gareth proved what a great leader he is last season. He is an inspiration within the squad - a real energiser and someone who leads by his own shining example," said Ruddock. "There is no doubt his experiences of playing in France, and on the Lions tour, have given him an insight into the make-up of top international players from other countries and that experience will help us in our challenge to beat the best in the world.

"Michael Owen stepped up to the mark last year when he took over the captaincy reins from Gareth. We know his abilities as a player and he will assist Gareth in the leadership of the team, along with other individual leaders within the squad."

Ruddock's men will meet Graham Henry's All Blacks in the first game of the Invesco Perpetual Series at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 5 November in what will be a battle between the champion sides of the northern and southern hemispheres.

That game, which will mark the 100th Anniversary of the first match between the two nations - the historic 3-0 Welsh victory - is already a 74,000 sell-out, along with the games against South Africa on Saturday, 19 November and Australia on Saturday, 26 November, while more than 40,000 tickets have already been sold for the Friday night shoot-out with one of Wales' 2007 World Cup opponents Fiji on 11 November.

"As we showed on the summer tour, when we had 12 players missing on Lions duty and others injured, we are able to keep our cohesion because we have developed much greater strength in depth within the squad," said Ruddock. "I have been enormously encouraged by the way the team has maintained its cohesion and consistency when we interchanged players and the team spirit within the camp continues to develop.

"We all know we face a massive test in November - one no Welsh team in the 124 year history of our game has ever had to tackle. But in order to prepare properly for the 2007 Rugby World Cup we need this level of competition.

"If you want to be the best, you have to play, and beat, the best. We have risen to fifth in the IRB World Rankings thanks to last season's Grand Slam, but over the next month we have to face three of the teams ranked ahead of us.

"The players and management are relishing the opportunity and we all know that playing in front of a full house at the Millennium Stadium will give us all the inspiration we need to meet the Tri-Nations teams and Fiji head-on."

Wales reached their first semi-final since 2013 in the opening round of this season's HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai. WRU TV's Graeme Gillespie recaps on what proved to be an eventful tournament

Wales and Ospreys back row James King, who came through the North Wales age grade system, nominated North Wales Regional Community Rugby Manager Marc Roberts, in the WRU's 'Diolch' initiative where squad players thanked those who played a part in their rise to the top.

Beating Merthyr has boosted Carmarthen Quins hopes of reaching a top eight spot in the Principality Premiership. Quins captain Haydn Pugh is delighted with his team's progress and is determined that everyone from the Under 6s through to the senior team, enjoys the ride.

When the Wales squad were asked to nominate individuals who played a big part in their early playing days, Wales and Dragons full back and wing Hallam Amos thought of his former Monmouth School rugby coach John Bevan.

Sam Cross and Luke Treharne have been named as co-captains of the Wales Sevens side as head coach Gareth Williams names his 12-man squad to play in the first leg of the HSBC World Series in Dubai next weekend.

Bedwas head coach Steve Law and players Nicky Griffiths and Alun Rees extol the virtues of the close knit club as they prepare to host third place RGC 1404 - who are one place head of them on the Principality Premiership points table - on Saturday.

Many of the Wales squad have said Diolch (thank you) to someone who played an important part in their early playing days by nominating them to be invited to the Wales v South Africa match. One person, Gowerton Comprehensive geography teacher Mr Dean Mason was nominated by two of his former pupils, Dan Biggar and Sam Davies.

The second WRU disability rugby pilot has been delivered, this time in Caerphilly schools, culminating in a festival at the Caerphilly Centre of Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach tomorrow. Plans are in place to set up a Disability Rugby Club in Newbridge to provide long-term playing opportunities.

WRU TV: Hear from inside the Wales camp as Neil Jenkins discusses this weekend's clash with South Africa and how the squad are looking to put in a strong performance to round of the 2016 Under Armour Series